Deception, Drama and Draco Malfoy
by chocoholic907
Summary: As he entered,he saw Hermione sitting on her chair,ashen faced,eyes filled with worry and fear.Wordlessly,she handed him the letter.When he read what was there on the page,his face drained of blood.His past had caught up with him.First fanfic,please r&r
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello :D**

**This is my first fanfic, so please be kind…**

**Basically, the war is over, but Harry killed Voldemort with an avada. It's a little angsty in the beginning but it gets better. I promise. So please give it a try**

**I have this posted on HPFF too :D**

**I know this story is as far from perfect as can be, but please, no flames…**

**I enjoy constructive criticism though :)**

**Disclaimer: JK Rowling is super rich, super brainy and super awesome. I am a student. I = JKR in a strange parallel universe where the Easter Bunny exists and Santa is an investment broker who loots banks. That's all :D**

He walked out into the rain, ignoring the steady stream of moisture that stained his shirt. The war was over, but the ghosts of his past continued to haunt his soul, feeding off his pain. The wizarding world may have won their freedom from Voldemort, but that victory had led to the downfall of the Malfoy name. His wealth had been seized by the Ministry, leaving him unable to maintain his Manor. Forced to move out of his ancestral home, he now lived in a small flat near the Ministry.

He wished his parents had had the courage to break away from the Dark Lords power, wished he had fought for the right side. In the beginning, he had joined the death eaters as a foolish young man, full of delusions of superiority and grandeur. However, this soon turned into a walking nightmare. Recruited as a 16 year old boy, his task was a punishment to his father for not retrieving the prophecy. He was elated at first. This was his chance to prove himself. He ignored his mother's protests, fantasizing about the day when he would be the Dark Lords most trusted servant, and positioning the Malfoy family at the top of the wizarding world, where it belonged. His dream quickly turned into his worst nightmare where the fate of his family depended on him.

He sighed. His life seemed to be the summation of mistakes upon mistakes. It was too late. Society shunned him, and he was alone. Any penance he attempted was for naught, he would never regain the trust of the people again. All the money in the world would not compensate for the empty feeling inside him.

She watched him, brown eyes filled with worry. She observed his daily routine, and understood his loneliness. After all, the same feeling was present in her soul. Ron had left her after the war, when he became an instant celebrity, claiming she was not what he needed. She buried herself in her work and distanced herself from everyone else. Harry and Ginny had just had their first son James, and she did not want Harry to have to deal with the stress of having to choose between his friends, and balancing his job as Head Auror. Her days passed by in a blur of work and sleep.

She noticed all the times he tried to help others, only to be rudely sent away. No one realized his genuine repentance. People laughed when he joined the Department of Muggle Relations, and he was only assigned rote filing work. No one trusted him with anything else. After all, what if he reverted to his old death eater ways?

She took a deep breath, and glanced at her watch. It was half past seven. Her parents had insisted that she visit them today, and she was already late. She apparated to their porch, and knocked on the door, fixing a large smile on her face. This evening was going to be hell.

She got back to her flat late that night. Her mother and father insisted on hearing about her job in the ministry as a muggle relations officer, and she could not disappoint them. Her mother, complaining that Hermione has lost weight, ladled large amounts of pasta on her plate, and would not take no for an answer.

Visits to her parents' house always depressed her. She had always wished for a life like theirs, full of laughter, happiness and love, but that had always eluded her. And now everyone around her had moved on with their lives, while she remained the same. Her depression threatened to drown her, and she drifted off to sleep, full of uneasy dreams.

As she walked to work the next day, she slipped in a puddle of water, and crashed into someone. Large hands steadied her, and as she raised her head to apologize, her eyes met those of Malfoy.

"I'm sor-sorry." she stammered.

His cool eyes appraised her as he replied, "No Problem."

"Shall I accompany you?" he asked her.

Hermione's mind went blank with shock. "You want to walk next to a mudblood?" she snapped. She saw his jaw tense and his eyes turned to cold steel.

"Really? Is that what you think of me?"

She blushed with shame. She knew she shouldn't have replied like that. She was the person who probably understood his need to make up for his past deeds the most, yet she treated him just like everyone else. She was not being fair. Her caustic reply was the unconscious result of years of exchanging insults with him.

"I apologize for my thoughtless reply. Let me rephrase that. Thank you so much, I would love the company."

He smiled at her. This was probably the first time he had looked at her without a smirk on his face, or an expression filled with hate. The smile transformed his features, making him look years younger. He looked almost handsome, she thought.

He quickly fell into step with her, and both of them spoke about work as they headed into the ministry. As they walked into the Department of Muggle Relations, heads turned towards them in shock. One of the heroes of the war talking to a former death eater? Impossible. As Hermione heard the sudden silence, she felt Malfoy stiffen next to her. His expression was once again shuttered, and the tension around his was almost palpable. The tense set of his mouth betrayed his fear of her reaction.

Anger flooded her mind. Was it not prejudiced of them to mistrust him based on his family name and his past behavior? The other ministry workers were behaving no better than the Malfoys had behaved before the war. Her famous Gryffindor courage filled her as she squared her shoulders and resolutely ignored all the staring faces. Bidding Malfoy goodbye, she headed to her desk, feeling more alive than she had felt in a long time.

He looked at her retreating back in shock. Had Hermione Granger, best friend of Harry Potter, walked with him to the Ministry, risking her reputation in the process? When he asked her if he could accompany him, he did not expect her to actually accept. He was pleasantly surprised when she apologized after his outburst, and in spite of himself, enjoyed her company.

He knew she was smart, but didn't expect her to be funny as well. He had found himself drawn into the conversation, and had been amused by her passion for work. He had heard that the Weasel had left her, and could not comprehend how he could choose a brainless girl like Lavender Brown instead of Granger. His small conversation with her had already brightened his day, and he found himself eager for the next time he would see her.

The day passed by quickly, and soon it was time for her to leave. As she rose from her desk, Malfoy entered the room, greeting her cheerfully.

"Malfoy, why are you here? Weren't you supposed to leave an hour ago?"

"Usually, but my work spilled over. So looks like we're leaving together Granger."

"Nice try. I happen to know you sit in that cubicle the whole day staring at the walls. Now what's your real reason?" She smirked at him, her expression mirroring his, eyes alight with amusement.

"You caught me. I confess. I wanted to walk you down so you wouldn't hurt yourself by slipping again." he teased.

She laughed. "I can take care of myself" she retorted, smiling.

As they walked out into the cool evening, they continued to banter, trading their old Hogwarts insults. However, it lacked the same sting it had had four years ago, and instead seemed to them as a reminder of the days when everything was much simpler. When Hermione turned to walk down her street, Malfoy stopped her.

"Hey Granger, do you have anywhere to be today evening? Because I have nothing to do, and was wondering if we could go to the Leaky Cauldron and maybe get a bite to eat."

Hermione was pleased. She had enjoyed the easy camaraderie between them, and had been facing a boring evening in the tub with a book. She readily agreed, and they apparated away together.

The evening had been better than she had expected. Malfoy was a very interesting conversationalist, and they had talked about a wide range of topics from house elf rights to their days in Hogwarts. Draco seemed more open and care free, and Hermione preferred this side of him to his moody vicious side. He had told her all about the torture he had faced during his time as a death eater, and all the reasons why he was compelled to be one. She told him what had happened when Ron left her, and how she had to cope with it. She spoke about all her insecurities and worries, and he listened patiently. It had felt good to be able to talk to someone so freely. She realized that over the course of the evening, she and Malfoy had gone from being acquaintances to friends. Imagine that! If someone had told her ten years ago that she will one day have a willing conversation with Malfoy and enjoy it, she would have had them checked in St. Mungos for head problems. The twists in life never ceased to amaze her.

He had been a perfect gentleman too. His cultured upbringing ensured that he had perfect table manners. This was a refreshing change from Ron who used to eat like he was facing a ten year famine. She hummed contentedly as she got into the shower, looking forward to tomorrow.

Slowly days passed by. The tenuous friendship between Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger soon morphed into something stronger. They began meeting everyday, if only to discuss work.

Draco found their conversations riveting. Hermione was not like any other woman he knew. She always continued to surprise him with her spontaneity and surprisingly sharp wit. He felt drawn towards her, and couldn't imagine the days when he didn't meet Hermione everyday. He knew he felt a strong connection with her, but could not define his feelings. They seemed more powerful than anything he had ever felt before.

Hermione was also surprised by the sudden intensity in their friendship. They had known each other well only for such a small amount of time, but she felt connected to him like she hadn't felt before. The feeling was new and exciting. He was the only man who had been her match intellectually. But this did not mean they agreed on everything. In fact, they tended to disagree more than ever. And funnily, the arguments were what Hermione enjoyed most. It provided her an opportunity to discuss and argue endlessly, something she had not done since her Hogwarts days.

About a month after they had first spoken, Draco walked into Hermione's office, as was their custom at the end of the day. He had expected her to be either waiting for him or engrossed in a particular file, unaware of the time. What he did not expect was what he found.

As he entered, he saw Hermione sitting on her chair, ashen faced and staring ahead, eyes filled with worry and fear. In her hand, she clutched a letter.

The sight of her looking so helpless quickened his pulse and his step. He hurried towards her.

"What happened Hermione?" he asked, his voice rough with tension.

Wordlessly, she handed him the letter. When he read what was there on the page, his face drained of blood. His past had caught up with him…

**A cliffhanger! Lol. So? Hated it? Liked it? Loved it? Let me know. A cyber cookie to you if you do :D Rate and review please, I would love to hear what you think….**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is Chapter 2!**

The letter was from Harry. It was only a short note, but was enough to instill fear in Hermione's heart. She had read the note only once, but their chilling contents were already in her brain –

_Hermione,_

_Death Eaters have Ginny. And James. I don't know where they are. Ron's in coma. Come to St. Mungos now._

_Harry_

She thought that part of her life was over. No more would they have to deal with danger looming over them everyday. And now, when all was well, they kidnapped Ginny. And an innocent two year old boy.

Something snapped inside Hermione. White hot anger flooded her system and immediately she leapt up. She saw Draco looking at the letter, lost on his own nightmare. She shook him, screaming "We have to go to Mungos. Now. Meet me there!"

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the debilitating panic. He thought that the Death Eaters had disappeared. That he had buried that phase of his life forever. That he could now live his life without being in constant fear. But he was wrong. He could never escape from his past. He would have to forever live with the mistakes he had committed as a young boy.

He saw Hermione disapparate next to him, and quickly turned on his heel. After the familiar moment of suffocation, he found himself in St. Mungos, amidst a sea of confusion.

Aurors and Healers were running back and forth and he scanned the room for Hermione.

_Over there!_He spotted the familiar bushy hair exiting the hall into a corridor.

He hurried across the room to get to her, pushing past people. Suddenly, someone recognized him and screamed.

It was Hannah Abbot.

"There he is! A death eater! Capture Malfoy and torture their whereabouts out of him!"

Draco skidded to a halt. He found himself facing the business end of at least ten wands, all pointing to his heart. There was not a single friendly face in sight….

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Harry charging up to him, cursing the crowd out of his way. Draco relaxed, thinking that Harry would help him out of his situation when something large suddenly crashed into him, and started hitting him with incredible force.

He tried to push Harry off, but Harry fought with the strength of a man possessed.

"WHERE ARE THEY?" he roared in Draco's ears. "IF EVEN ONE SINGLE HAIR ON THEIR HEADS HAS BEEN HARMED, I WILL PERSONALLY KILL ALL OF YOU. NOT ONE DEATH EATER WILL SURVIVE MY WRATH!"

Realization dawned upon Draco.

_Potter thinks I did this? NO!_

Draco tried to tell Harry the truth, but when he opened his mouth, the blood welling from his nose started choking him. He made a few more weak attempts to throw Harry off, but to no avail. Soon, Harry's fingers were around Draco's throat, and his air supply was cut off. He slowly felt his strength slipping away from him and his limbs felt like lead. His vision started to blur, and he felt sudden peace surround him….

Suddenly, through the haze surrounding his brain, he heard a familiar female voice scream "PROTEGO!" The shield charm instantly created a barrier between him and Harry, and the pressure on his throat eased as he felt Harry's weight lifted off him. Gasping and panting, he gulped in greedy breaths of air.

As life returned to his body, he became aware of a diminutive figure crouched next to him, alternatively talking to him and screaming at Harry,

"Draco, Draco are you alright? HARRY JAMES POTTER HOW DARE YOU ATTACK DRACO WITHOUT PROOF? Oh my god someone call a healer his nose is broken! ARE YOU CRAZY? YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HIM! Hannah, fetch a healer!"

Draco felt himself levitated off the floor and taken to a bed. A healer starting mumbling spells and cleaned up his wounds. He heard brief snatches of the argument outside his door between Hermione and Harry.

"- he could have been killed-"

"-is a death eater! … Cant be trusted!"

"-only here to help… I trust him -"

"Ginny…. Kidnapped…..hurt…"

"- happened? Got… note"

"James and Ginny…. Visit Ron…. Death Eaters burst in…Ron…. Coma…."

"WHAT?" Draco burst out.

Harry and Hermione rushed into the room.

Draco asked tersely "Potter, what happened? Tell me now."

Harry immediately snapped back "My wife and son have been kidnapped by your _friends_. And I don't know where they are." His voice broke by the end of the sentence.

Draco felt a wave of sympathy for the man. All his life he had had large burdens to bear. Just when he thought that he had achieved his happy ending, his life was once again upturned. He resolved to help Harry find his family at any cost.

"Potter, we WILL find them. Now tell me what exactly happened. You need my help"

"I have an entire office of Aurors at my disposal. What makes you think I need your help? Do you know what the best course of action would be? I can cart you off to Azkaban now or torture the information out of you. For all I know, you could be involved."

"Potter, is anyone in your office an ex Death Eater? I know exactly what my 'friends' as you call them will do. Face it, you need my help. Now stop wasting time and tell me."

Harry realized the truth in Draco's words, but didn't like it. Cooperating with Malfoy felt like trusting a Dementor, but he had no choice. Without further interruption, he told him all the details of what happened there.

"Today, at four in the evening, Ginny had taken James to visit Ron. While they were at Ron's apartment, two death eaters bypassed the wards, burst in without warning and attacked the three of them. Ginny and Ron could have taken them if those people hadn't fired a spell at James. Ginny jumped in the way, and was easily captured. By then, one of the death eaters had already immobilized Ron with a powerful spell. This spell is clearly dark magic. The Healers don't know what to do. Ron is in coma now and they predict he will never wake up. And my wife and child are still missing, probably being subjected to even more dark magic." Harry's voice broke by the end of the sentence.

"If Ron is unconscious, how do you know what happened in his house?"

"The spell strengthens with time. When we first arrived at the scene, Ron was in great pain but still lucid. Soon after, he blacked out and his condition has deteriorated since then."

Draco blanched. He knew this spell. This was something the Dark Lord had invented to kill people slowly. This was it. He had to decide now where his true loyalties lay. If he told Harry about the spell, he would be betraying the Death Eaters and the man he had once held in awe. If he kept quiet, he would betray Hermione. He didn't hesitate.

"He's been hit with the Artaith curse," he blurted. "Voldemort himself invented this spell and taught it to all his death eaters. It's like a combination of the Cruciatus and the Avada Kedavra. It causes unimaginable pain, and then slowly kills a person. If Ron has blacked out, there is no time to lose. His body could shut down at any moment. Quick! Call the Healer."

Hermione sighed. She had watched Draco teach the counter curse to the Healer. Ron was in was a long stay at St. Mungos. He would have to take over ten potions over the course of the day. Still, it could be worse. Ron could have died. Her heart immediately twisted when she realized how much of a possibility that could have been. She may not still love Ron like she used to, but he had been her best friend for most of her life.

She entered his room to check up on him again. She tip toed towards his bed and peeked at his face, and saw that his eyes were shut. She was relieved to see that he was no longer deathly pale, and was breathing normally. As she turned around to leave, a voice startled her –

"Hermione, is that you?" Ron's voice was shockingly weak.

"Ron! You're awake! How are you feeling? I'm so glad you are okay now. You gave us all such a shock! Harry is over at the Ministry right now. He's pulling out all stops to find Ginny and James. I hope they are safe too." Hermione knew she was babbling, and shut her mouth to let Ron talk.

"It's my fault, it's all my fault. Ill never be able to face Harry again. What kind of a brother am I? I couldn't protect Ginny. I am worthless. I am the most wretched excuse for a – "

Hermione couldn't stand seeing Ron beat himself up for this. She moved closer to him and put her hand over his mouth, effectively shutting him up.

Looking him in the eye, she said "Ron, its not your fault, Harry doesn't blame you for this at all. There is nothing more you could have done. Worry about yourself now, you almost died."

She sat down on the corner of the bed and started pushing Ron's hair off his forehead. He reminded her of the man she knew before the war, the sweet and innocent boy whom she had once loved and trusted.

"Forgive me?" Ron asked. " I'm sorry for behaving like that after the war. I mean, it's better for both of us that were not together, but I shouldn't have run away like a coward. I was foolish, and the sudden fame overwhelmed me. It's not an excuse for how I behaved, but I hope we can still be friends. I miss you."

Happiness flooded Hermione's heart. She too had missed Ron terribly, and not dreamed that he would apologize for his thoughtless behavior. Impulsively, she hugged Ron.

As she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, the door of his room opened. There stood Draco with someone Hermione had not seen in a long time. Slim and fashionably dressed, she stood there at the entrance of the room, with her mouth gaping in shock…

**Soo? What do you think? Please please please let me know :D I live for reviews. I honestly do….**

**Lets see if i can get 20 reviews :D**

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**Btw, who do you think has arrived at the door? A cookie if you guess right!****  
><strong>**(^_^)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hiii :D**

**I'm back with the third chapter… I hope you guys like it :D**

**Also, here's a shout out to my best friend Zilla, who was the first person to red this, besides me… I hope it lived up to your expectations :D**

"Lavender Brown?" Hermione exclaimed.

This was the girl Ron had left her for. The girl who had been "exciting" enough for Ron. The girl who was everything Hermione was not. Hermione felt her insecurities begin to surface, when she realized the position she was in.

She was sitting on Ron's bed, half lying on him with her arms around him, and her lips brushing his cheek. No wonder Lavender and Draco were staring.

"Lavender," Hermione began. "It's not what it looks lik-"

Hermione's voice was cut off when Lavender screamed.

"YOU'RE CHEATING ON ME WITH _HERMIONE GRANGER?_" Lavender's voice ripped through the octaves. Her face had gone bright red and her eyes had a deranged look in them.

"YOU ARROGANT, LYING CHEATING -"

Footsteps suddenly thundered down the hallway and the room door crashed open as half a dozen Healers and Aurors, headed by Harry burst into the room, brandishing their wands.

Harry looked around the room in confusion. When he heard an inhuman shriek coming from Ron's room, he had expected Death Eaters or dragons or maybe even the ghost of Voldemort attacking Ron. What he did not expect was to find Lavender screaming her head off at a terrified looking Ron and an embarrassed Hermione.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

Everyone started talking at the same time.

"HE'S CHEATING ON-"

"Mate, she's gone bonkers-"

"Harry, Lavenders assuming things-"

"Everybody! Speak one at a time please!" Harry nearly screamed in frustration. Today had not been a good day for him. First, he found out that his family had been kidnapped, then his best friend had almost died, he was forced to cooperate with Malfoy and now he has to look after adults who were screaming like preschoolers.

Hermione, who had gotten off the bed, tried to speak to Harry. "I came in to check on Ron, when he woke up and then we were talking. I was just giving him a hug when Lavender entered and over reacted-" Hermione was cut off by Lavender when she lunged at her and started clawing her face.

"STUPEFY!" People all over the room shouted and five beams of red hit Lavender, instantly stunning her. Hermione, with a vengeful smirk, pointed her wand at Lavenders still form, and thought _Levicorpus._

A healer pushed Lavenders bobbing upside down body out of the room while everyone cheered, glad that the onslaught on their eardrums had stopped.

"Wow Weasley, you certainly know how to choose them." Draco sardonically remarked. With a laugh, everyone left the room, leaving only Ron, Hermione and Draco. A tense silence pervaded the atmosphere as Ron and Draco glared at each other.

Hermione couldn't take the awkwardness anymore. "Ron, I'll, umm, see you later," she stammered and left the room, dragging Draco out with her.

Draco was feeling angry and upset, but didn't know why. When Lavender had entered the hospital like a hurricane, demanding to be taken to Ron's room, he only obliged because he thought Hermione might be there. However, when he entered the room and saw Hermione hugging Ron, any kindly feelings he might have been entertaining towards him disappeared. White hot rage had engulfed his system and he had wanted to rip Hermione out of the Ron's embrace and beat him up, injured or not. He didn't know why he was feeling so violent, and this made him even more upset. When Lavender had attacked Hermione, the stunner he aimed at the girl was without conscious thought – he had reacted at a subconscious level, attacking to protest his friends.

_Its only because Hermione is my only friend_, he argued with himself. _Nothing more_.

His voice sounded unconvinced to even his own ears. His mind was a whirlwind of emotion, and he wasn't enjoying the sensation of feeling so confused. And he knew the root cause for all this drama in his head was the petite witch walking next to him. He suddenly realized Hermione was talking to him, and started paying attention.

"That Lavender sure is a nut case, isn't she?" Hermione was saying "I cant believe she reacted so jealously. I mean, it's me and Ron. We were best friends. Still are." she gave a nervous laugh.

Jealous. Hermione's voice faded out of Draco's ears as he gave a name to his emotions. He was jealous of Ron. But why would he be jealous, unless…?

_No! _Draco shouted mentally. He just realized something. He, Draco Malfoy, ex death eater, had fallen in love with Hermione Granger, war hero. As he admitted this to himself, he suddenly felt a warm glow inside him, warming his cold heart up. Yes, that was true. She made him feel special. She made him laugh, made him think, and treated him fairly, in spite of his last name, something no one had ever done before. She had been friendly to him, even though she had risked her reputation. His days were no longer monotonous and painful, instead now he looked forward to each day because he knew that he would meet her. Her friendship had brightened his day, and her warm humor was balm to his weary soul. She wasn't like the other girls. Her presence was what had saved him, and made him want to be a better man. Made him want be worthy of her. The man upon whom she bestowed her affections was a lucky man. He felt his heart twist with pain when he realized that it would never be him. After all, who could ever learn to love a beast? A groan reverberated through his body. It seemed like his bad luck would never end. His tale would be like thousands around him – a tale of unrequited love. Sudden iciness filled his heart when he realized that he could not ever show her how he felt, because then he knew she would leave. He would not be able to bear that. He would ungrudgingly take only her friendship, if that was all she would offer.

He looked up and realized that Hermione was not walking next to him. She must have left when he was immersed in his own thoughts. He hurried his footsteps to find her.

He questioned the first Auror he came across about Hermione's and Harry's location.

The Auror replied " They just flooed to the Ministry. They've received a ransom note."

Hermione mind was whirling. This was all happening too fast. Around half an hour ago, an owl had delivered a letter to Harry's office. His secretary had opened it and found out that it was a ransom note from the death eaters who had Ginny and James. She immediately notified the Aurors in St. Mungos and waited for Harry's arrival.

Hermione had been talking to Harry when one of the younger Aurors came running up to him and told him about the note. Immediately, both of them apparated to the Ministry.

Hermione read the note again.

_We have them. Come meet us today at the Shrieking Shack at 12 midnight with 10,000 galleons if you want them back safe and sound. And come alone._

Enclosed in the envelope was a lock of Ginny's flame red hair. When Harry had seen this, he flew into a rage. In all the years Hermione had known him, she had never seen him lose control like this. This was worse than when Sirius died. Worse than when Dumbledore had kept him at Privet Drive. Here was a man who had lost his entire world. Thankfully, he soon calmed down, but his eyes were filled with a quiet and deadly anger that spelt danger to anyone who got in his way. He immediately made preparations to meet the Death Eaters. He sent an elite battalion of undercover Aurors to scope out the entire village of Hogsmede to see if anyone suspicious had arrived, and arranged for withdrawing 10,000 galleons from his vault in Gringotts. However, something didn't add up in Hermione's mind. If the Death Eaters were only after money, why would they kidnap the family of the most famous man in the wizarding world, a man who had the power to track them down easily. Wouldn't they choose someone who was less famous and powerful? And why would they ask for only 10,000 galleons, when Harry could afford to pay a hundred times that amount. This didn't seem right. There was more than met the eye, and she needed to find out what was wrong here.

As she was puzzling over the mystery in Harry's office, Draco skidded through the door. The worried look on his face told Hermione that he knew about the ransom note. She didn't know how he had found out, but was glad that he was here now. He voiced Hermione's suspicions "The Death Eaters do not kidnap people for money. This doesn't add up-"

At this point, Harry entered the room. He seemed only mildly surprised to see Draco here, but ignored him and spoke.

"The Aurors are in place. I will meet the Death Eaters at the Shrieking Shack today as planned. Hermione, Draco, I need you. You're the smartest Ministry employees here. Can you help?"

Hermione nodded her head, her forehead creasing in worry. Then, after a moment of indecision, she burst out "Harry, doesn't this seem wrong to you. If they were after money, why would they kidnap your family? And why only 10,000 galleons? Draco agrees with me, this is not their style. They have some other motive."

Harry's face twisted with anguish. Hermione's words rang true in his ears. Once the Death Eaters got the money, if they were after it, they would kill everyone. And if they weren't after it, this was a wild goose chase and they were back to square one.

Draco, who had remained quiet throughout the whole discussion, suddenly spoke. He had realized there was a way to help Harry find Ginny and James.

"There is a way to find out where the death eaters are. After Voldemort realized that Igor Karkaroff had run away from him, he devised a spell that would enable him to track down the location of each one of his followers. This was a highly complex piece of magic. And it can only be performed by someone with the Mark."

He grabbed a piece of parchment from the table, and placed it over his Mark. Tapping it with his wand, he muttered "_Revelio."_

Harry and Hermione watched the paper filled with anticipation as ink danced on the parchment. Finally, a word was formed. One single word.

_Unplottable._

Harry's mind whirled in confusion. Unplottable? How can it be unplottable? There was only one place in the whole of England that was unplottable, and that was Hogwarts. And death eaters could not have snuck into its grounds.

As he looked at Hermione's face, he saw his own confusion and fear mirrored there. He let out a humorless laugh. "Malfoy, looks like your spell didn't work. There's only one place unplottable, and that's Hogwarts. And there's no way they're there."

As he looked at Draco's face, he only saw a quiet resignation etched in his features. "There is one other place that is unplottable." Draco murmured.

Hermione spun on her heel, and started shaking Draco's shoulders.

"Where?"

"Malfoy Manor."

**What do you think? Did you see that coming?**

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	4. Chapter 4

**Hey :D**

**Heres the next chapter!**

**I hope you like it!**

**By the way, in the last chapter, I know it seems rather sudden that Draco fell in love with Hermione, but consider this – the man has never been truly loved in his life, except by his mother. And now she's dead. He's been friendless for a long time, and his heart is yearning for some kindness. When Hermione meets him and starts being nice, it evokes a tornado of feelings in him.**

Draco's words, even though softly spoken, caused a deafening silence. Malfoy Manor. This was site of Hermione's worst nightmares. A place that still haunted her, a place where she had been tortured within an inch of her life by a mad woman. Even after four years, she woke up nightly, drenched in sweat, expecting Bellatrix's dagger pressed to her throat. The unimaginable pain that had racked her body all those years ago seemed to hit her again.

Suddenly, her vision swam, and the floor tilted. As she descended down the spiral of unconsciousness, she heard her name called distantly and felt someone catch her. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was a pair of grey fathomless eyes, staring into hers filled with worry.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Draco saw Hermione suddenly crumple, as if her legs couldn't support her any more. His heart leaped to his mouth as he lunged and caught her slim body. Her brown eyes were unfocussed as he called out her name in desperation, hoping she would respond. Hermione was the strongest person he knew, and the mere mention of his ancestral home had caused her to collapse. He cradled her in his arms as Harry apparated to Mungos to get a healer. He remembered the horror Hermione had faced four years ago, when she was tortured by Bellatrix. Having been subjected to multiple Cruciatus curses, she still managed to weave a story, and resisted giving up her friends. He had seen grown men reduced to blubbering cowards after a single curse from Bellatrix, but this girl hadn't yielded. And he had just stood there, saying nothing as a girl he knew was tortured into near insanity. That was the day Hermione Granger had earned his respect. He felt his heart clench when he realized the pain his family had caused the girl he loved. His hatred for himself grew, and he made a promise to never cause her pain again.

_Pop!_

Harry, along with a healer, had apparated into the room. The Healer rushed towards Hermione's limp form in Draco's arms, while Harry threw Draco an odd glance. Draco, blushing when he realized the possessiveness with which he was holding Hermione, relinquished her to the Healer. However, he couldn't tear himself away from her prone form, and hovered over her as the Healer checked her vitals.

Harry was filled with worry, and a little confusion. Why was Malfoy holding Hermione like that? He had noticed how the blonde mans eyes never left her, but was too busy to pay heed to it. Now, standing in the same room as them with no other distractions, he noticed all that he had missed. However, his train of thought was interrupted as the Healer spoke –

"Ms. Granger is fine. She just fainted because she has eaten nothing the whole day, and some sudden shock caused her mind to shut down. Today has been a stressful day for everyone. Give her time to rest, and she'll be right as rain."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He had one less thing to worry about now. He could now focus on getting his family back. He turned towards Draco and started questioning him.

"Malfoy, are you sure the Death Eaters are in Malfoy Manor?"

"They have no where else to be. The Manor is protected by ancient magic – wards that even the Dark Lord found hard to break. It is the safest place in England, Hogwarts excepted. And now that I no longer live there, the Death Eaters would have met with no resistance while occupying the place. You see, when the Manor was being used as Voldemort's headquarters, he cast a charm on it which ensures that any man with the Mark could enter with no problem. That is why they chose the Manor."

Harry nodded in agreement. It was most likely that the Death Eaters were plotting in Malfoy Manor, while Harry dispersed his force in Hogsmede, wasting precious time searching for people who weren't there. Now, all he needed was a plan.

Draco, Harry and Hermione stared at each other, eyes wide with shock. They couldn't believe what they had just read. The letter which had just arrived had left them shell shocked. In fact, the whole wizarding world was reeling in shock, unable to accept the news. The Minister of Magic, William Fudge, had just disappeared. Disappeared from his home without a trace, without a struggle, without a note. Every Auror was now being employed to find him.

Harry could not believe his bad luck. With every available Auror busy, there was no one he could use to rescue his family. The Ministry had given him only one man to help him – Peter Finn. The man was capable, smart and a strong dueler, but he could not storm Malfoy Manor with one man on his side. This was impossible.

"You can't come!"

"Yes I can. And I will."

"Hermione, listen to me. Please be reasonable. You just fainted. This has been too overwhelming for you."

"No Harry, YOU listen to me. I'm not a delicate darling who needs to rest to recover her strength. I've suffered as much as you have, and as a friend of yours and Ginny's, I demand to come. And besides, you need me." Hermione crossed her arms, her eyes daring him to challenge her.

Harry threw up his hands in defeat. This girl was impossible. Why couldn't she understand him? One of his best friends nearly died today, he couldn't risk the other one.

He tried to reason with her again. "Hermione, I'm taking Peter with me. He and I can protect Ginny and James. I don't want to have to worry about you too. Please Hermione, understand."

Draco spotted the flaw in Harry's plan. He piped up "Potter, I'm coming too."

Harry growled. This was a time for action, not a time to stand around arguing. Every minute he wasted here was a minute more of danger his family was facing. He didn't have time to argue with anyone who wanted to come. This was an elite operation dammit, not a visit to the Zoo.

Draco, seeing that Harry was about to explode, explained quickly.

"Like I told you before, the charm on the Manor prevents anyone without the Mark from entering. That means I need to come with you. You will never be able to find the Manor without my help. And I can take only two people with me. Voldemort imposed the limit to monitor to the no of people who enter the Manor."

Hermione quickly interjected "If he's coming, I'm coming."

All this resistance had worn Harry down. His fingers itched with the desire to do something, instead of talking. Seeing no way of dissuading them, he snarled "Okay, you both can come. But Malfoy, if you get yourself killed, don't expect me to save your sorry behind."

Draco and Hermione nodded, as Harry started explaining his plan to them.

Throughout the planning process, something had been nagging Harry at the back of his mind. Suddenly, while detailing Peter's role, he realized what it was.

Harry sighed with exasperation, and directed a question at Malfoy. "You said that you could take only two other people with you right? If you're coming, and Hermione is coming, what about Peter? Can you come back and get him?"

Draco was about to reply with a negative answer, when a glare from Harry silenced him. Instead, he nodded, feeling puzzled inside. He knew Harry had something he didn't want everyone to know, but what was it?

Draco didn't like this. He didn't like this one bit. Harry's plan was a very sketchy one, filled with 'ifs'. He was certain this plan wouldn't work, especially knowing what he did about the situation….

He shook his head, clearing it and turned back to Hermione. He gazed into those brown eyes, and tried once again.

"Please Hermione, don't come. Stay here."

She snapped "I can take care of myself."

"I don't want you to get hurt." He implored. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you, he added mentally.

"Draco, I'm coming. End of discussion." She stated, and spun on her heel, walking away. She slammed the door as she left the room, her irritation evident in her every step.

He looked at the closed door in anguish. He couldn't believe what he what was happening to him. He kept trying to find a way out of the situation, but it just kept closing in on him, cutting away his opportunities to escape. But his course of action could not be avoided – he was who he was, and nothing could change that. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. He knew what he would have to do today.

_Bloody hell_. Hermione cursed inside her head. She couldn't believe after all she had been through, Harry and Draco still considered her incapable of looking after herself.

She exhaled harshly, startling the people around her. She pushed her hands into her pant pockets and went out onto to the street, in need of little fresh air.

She did not like to be treated like a china doll, if they were going to risk their lives for Ginny and James; she wasn't going to sit in the sidelines.

_Thank god Harry and Draco agreed_, she thought. _Wait, they agreed too easily…. What are they up to? _Sudden suspicion took root in her mind. She started analyzing everything they had said to her, but came up with nothing.

She dismissed her suspicions, calling herself too paranoid. _They wouldn't go off without me, I'm certain. But it appears that I might have to make contingency plans…._

Draco rubbed his tired eyes. In less than an hour, they would be leaving. Since it was impossible to apparate to the Manor directly, he, Peter and Harry would be taking a portkey to the town next to it, and walk up to the Manor. And how much ever Hermione protested, she would not be coming. He had planned it out with Harry. He would give Hermione a drink laced with Sleeping Draught, and as soon as she was asleep, they would take her home and then proceed. His energy levels were falling, and he needed a power nap. He decided to find Peter, and ask him to give Hermione the sleeping draught instead. Hopefully, she would accept the pumpkin juice from Peter. He went down the corridor in search of Peter, when he spotted him in one of the office rooms. He called him and explained the plan to Peter, who readily accepted to give Hermione the juice. Satisfied that the deed was done, he headed to Harry's office_. That guy had the most comfortable couches in the Ministry, _he thought, a tad jealously_._

Exactly twenty minutes later, Draco woke up, feeling refreshed. He looked at the clock it was 11:30pm. They had decided to attack the Manor tonight at 12, hoping the Death Eaters would not be prepared. He exited Harry's room and found him in discussion with Peter outside the door. He questioned Peter.

"Did you give her the draught?"

Peter froze. Even though his face betrayed nothing, his eyes reflected a kaleidoscope of emotions – surprise, shock and a hint of anger. However, it disappeared so fast that Draco was not sure he had even seen it. In an instant, he replied "I did. She's not coming with us."

"Good" Harry said, nodding his head. "The portkey will be leaving in exactly two minutes, and we need to get going. Are you guys ready?"

Draco, Harry and Peter let go of the rusty can and looked around them. They were in a quiet village which had no signs of activity. Draco instantly started walking to their right, then turned around and gestured for the other two to follow him. They walked silently, focusing on the mission ahead. The pale moon over the head shone clear and lit up the dark route. After fifteen minutes of walking, they could finally see the Manor. It was tall and large, and as imposing as a fortress. Tall towers touched the sky at each end of the building, and its size rivaled that of the Hogwarts castle. As they approached the imposing wrought iron gates, Harry stopped. He looked at the faces of his companions "This is it. Thank you for doing this for me. If anything happens to me inside, get Ginny and James. And Malfoy, I'm sorry for doubting you. You have my trust now." They shook each others hands and opened the gate.

The gate opened easily, and without a sound. However, as they entered, Draco heard Peter trip and fall next to him. He turned around to help him and was stunned by what he saw. A strangled noise erupted from his throat as he watched in shock, disbelieving his eyes….

Harry, gaping at what was happening, was in shock too.

_NO!_

This was a waking nightmare.

**evil laugh**

**A cliffie! Again =D can you guess what's happened to Peter? And, before you leave this page, you know the drill – rate and review, loves. Your reviews motivate me to write more and more. So let me know what you like, what you hated. I'll reply. I promise :D**

**Chocoholic907**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here is Chapter 5! Thank you so much for the reviews! Hugs to everyone :D I hope you like this one, cause it was very difficult to write…. I'm suffering from a large case of writers block, so I'm not very happy with this chapter…. I apologise for the delay ;P**

As Draco and Harry watched in stunned silence, the figure on the ground started to change. It grew smaller and smaller and the ash blonde hair darkened and grew longer and curlier. Once the transformation was complete, the figure straightened up, dusting off its oversized robes. Draco's confusion mutated into murderous rage.

"WHAT?" Harry's utter disbelief was evident in his voice. In place of the trained Auror assigned to him was a girl he knew very well. Hermione Granger stood before his disbelieving eyes, looking determined yet slightly apprehensive.

"Harry, Draco, I can't believe you would drug me! It's your fault Peter is lying in my office, tied up and unconscious. I saw him put something into a drink and then give it to me, and I thought he was working for the Death Eaters. I immediately stunned him and since I thought that if everyone realized that our mission is compromised because Death Eaters have infiltrated the Auror ranks, the Ministry will abort it immediately. To protect the operation I polyjuiced into Peter." Hermione voice was rising and soon she was shrieking. "And someone explain to me WHY the potion stopped working?"

"Thieves downfall." Draco snapped "They are part of the protective charms around the Manor." Hermione blanched. She had encountered this before, in Gringotts. Thieves downfall exposes any deceit or treachery – it would render invisibility cloaks ineffective, disillusionment charms would stop working, nullify the effects of polyjuice potion, etc.

Draco mind was in turmoil. The girl he had worked so hard to protect was practically forcing herself into harms way. Her presence once again complicated his plans, and he did not know if he would have the courage to go through with them. However, when he looked into her chocolate colored eyes, his confusion disappeared. His path lay clear before him; his course of action was set.

While Draco had been thinking, Harry had been trying to make Hermione leave. However, his argument was cut short when a loud clang assaulted their ears. They turned around quickly, and saw the gates had shut themselves. No, the gates had been shut by someone.

Draco Malfoy stood in front of the gates, pointing his wand at them, a cold sneer on his lips.

Hermione's mind flew into overdrive. What was happening to Draco?

"Draco, what are you doing?" Hermione's voice betrayed the fear she was feeling.

Draco's cold laugh cut through air. Hermione whipped her hair around, trying to find a way to escape. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw two cloaked figures heading towards them. As they neared, one of them lowered her hood, revealing heavy lidded eyes, haughty features and a strong jaw line. Hermione sucked in breath, feeling like someone had punched her gut.

Bellatrix Lestrange was back from the dead.

Before she could process the repercussions of this, she heard a familiar voice behind her whisper "Stupefy", and then everything turned black.

Her head was pounding her mouth was painfully dry. She could feel various parts of her body throbbing and then realized she couldn't move. She felt disoriented and could not remember how she was here. Suddenly, the events of the past day rushed into her mind and threatened to overwhelm her. Draco had betrayed her. Draco had betrayed all of them. The words seemed strange to her. This was all her fault. She should have expected this, after all a leopard can never change his spots. It was because her that Harry had trusted Draco, and now they would all die because of that. Draco's betrayal cut her heart deep, and then she started worrying about Harry, Ginny and James.

She opened her eyes, and was met by a wall of pitch black. The air was musty and cold, and the floor she was on felt damp. When she tried to move her hands and legs, she realized that she had been tied to a post, with her hands behind her. _Oww…_ this would account for her cramped muscles.

Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and she looked around, trying to pinpoint her location. As she turned her head towards the around, she saw a faint shape slumped next to her.

"HARRY!"

She felt hope flare inside her; hope she had no right to feel. She was captured by Death Eaters, betrayed by her friend and saw no way of escape, but her spirits lifted with the realization that she was not alone. She struggled, trying to free her arms of the ropes binding her, but to no avail. She said Harry's name again, hoping he would wake up, hoping he was not hurt, hoping he was alive.

A slight movement caught her eye. She whipped her head around, trying to peer through the darkness. The hair on the back of her neck prickled, and she knew someone was watching them. In a voice that masked the stark terror she was feeling, she called out loudly.

"Who's there?"

There was no response. She continued to peer into the darkness, trying to see what lay further, but could not. After a while, her tense posture relaxed and she leaned onto the post she was tied to, thinking. She couldn't believe that Bellatrix was back. She had been there during the final battle, when Molly Weasley had fired the killing curse at her, and had seen her fall, her haughty face frozen in her last laugh. There was no way she could be alive. A chilling thought suddenly made her freeze. There was a way Bellatrix could have survived. Bellatrix had made a Horcrux.

It made sense after all, that Voldemort's favorite Death Eater had been privy to the same dark magic knowledge that he knew. Looking back, it was obvious that she would have made a Horcrux. Bellatrix was mad, deranged and power hungry, but nevertheless, she was smart. If Bellatrix was behind the whole kidnapping, things would be a lot more difficult, and their chances of escaping unharmed were dropping from slim to practically none. She was an enemy they would not underestimate again.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps echoing towards them. Adrenaline rushed through her body as she prepared herself for a fight, even though she was tied. Suddenly, a sharp light flooded her eyes and she cringed, trying to block it out. After hours of darkness, the light felt like a painful physical blow. A loud mocking laugh filled the room as she squinted and tried to see past the horrific light that was aimed at her face.

"Look at the mudblood, writhing on the floor with the rats where she belongs. Missed me? And wee Potter is still sleeping. Draco, wake the poor boy gently. We wouldn't want him missing the fun do we?"

A bucket of ice cold water rained down on Hermione and Harry, drenching them. The cool air in the dungeons suddenly turned frigid and Hermione felt herself chilled to the bone. She started shivering violently as Harry woke up with a start. However, another bucket of water was poured on them and Hermione's sopping robes got even wetter. Determined not to show weakness, she controlled her chattering teeth and spoke.

"Where's Ginny?"

The light stopped shining in her face. She could look around now, and saw Bellatrix standing in front of her. A deranged expression twisted her face. She was pale and her features were snake like, confirming Hermione's suspicions. When she saw Draco standing next to her with a sneer on his face, she felt new pain shoot through her. It was like a fresh shock to her, seeing a man she once trusted siding with the enemy. And to think she had been starting to like him, maybe even love him just a little.

"What? No pleasantries? Must we get down straight to business? Your parents have done a shoddy job with you mudblood. Draco, teach this filth some manners."

She saw Draco's expression flicker for a second, before resuming its earlier expression. The change had been so swift it was almost as if she had imagined it.

"Bellatrix, you know I don't like to play with filth."

Bellatrix's expression instantly changed.

"Crucio!" she screamed, and Hermione immediately prepared herself. However, the curse never hit her. Draco crashed to the ground, writhing in agony, but not a sound escaped his lips. Hermione felt a fleeting moment of sympathy, but immediately chased it away.

_He's the enemy, Hermione. He is responsible for all this. Bellatrix is just doing what I would have done to him._

"DRACO!" a loud shriek rent the air as a large girl came barreling into the room. "Bellatrix stop that at once!" Hermione was surprised when she recognized Pug faced Pansy. _Why would that girl be here? What was in it for her?_ She wondered. She twisted her head around, trying to see if there was anyone else.

"YOU... Crucio… WILL... Crucio... DO… Crucio… WHAT…. Crucio… I… Crucio.. SAY!"

It seemed like death had made Bellatrix even more unstable. Draco was on the floor, his limbs jerking uncontrollably. However, she stopped and turned her attention towards Hermione and Harry.

"Look at that, wee Potter is awake. You want meet your bloodtraitor and ickle Jamsie?"

Next to Hermione, Harry bellowed like an enraged bull. He strained against the ropes, while shouting profanities.

Looking at him, Bellatrix started laughing again. She stretched out her hand, and placed it gently on Harry's cheek, her long nails pressing into it. Without warning, she clawed his face and when she removed her hand, Hermione could see four long scratches on his face, dribbling blood over his cheek. Fury blazed in Harry's eyes. It was evident that by kidnapping his family, Bellatrix had signed her own death warrant. Again.

Bellatrix pointed her wand at Harry, and the ropes tying him to the pole vanished. However, new ropes bound his hands and feet together. With another flick of her wand, Harry was bobbing in the air upside down behind her, and she started walking away, taking care to smash Harry into every surface. Over her shoulder, she called out to Draco.

"Bring the mudblood to the room."

As soon as Bellatrix disappeared, Pansy instantly hurled herself at Draco.

"Drakie poo, are you alright? Are you hurt darling? I can make you feel all better."

Hermione felt bile rise to her throat looking at this. Pansy had wrapped herself around Draco like an octopus, and was batting her eyelashes at him, while trying to attach her lips to his. It was gratifying to see him squirm so much while trying to disentangle her limbs from his. With a mighty heave Draco pushed Pansy off him and pointed his wand at Hermione. The ropes tying her to the pole disappeared, along with the bindings around her ankles.

"Walk!" he barked at her.

Hermione initially considered rebelling, but she needed to know what was going on. Reluctantly she got up and followed Draco out of the dungeons.

It seemed like she had been walking for hours. They followed endless corridors, took endless flights of stairs, walked through hundreds of doors, and still hadn't reached their destination. The convoluted route had made her lose all sense of time and bearing, and she no longer tried to memorize the route, but trudged behind Draco, legs burning. The size of the Manor seemed to rival Hogwarts castle. Without warning, Draco halted at a large set of doors. At this point, Hermione's only focus was on moving each foot, so she didn't realize that he had stopped. She crashed into him, and sprung away – feeling like she had touched a snake. A treacherous, lying, betraying snake. She glared at him, and he looked back, his face a shuttered and closed off mask. However, his grey eyes looked stormy, filled with turbulence and conflict. Pansy shot her a look filled with loathing. Suddenly, a smirk plastered itself on her pug like face.

"Mudblood, you are going to love this." She spat out, her voice gloating.

She stepped forward, and opened the wide double doors. As Hermione peered in, her eyes adjusting to the dim light, a gasp of shock escaped her lips. Her legs froze and her heart seized up in terror. In front of her, lay the scene of her worst nightmare.

**How was it? This was very difficult to write, and I hope you are in sufficient shock =P Please please please review :D it will make me write faster… if you don't, Nargles will infest your brain :D this chappie ended with a pretty simple cliffie, so if anyone knows whats gonna happen, let me know in a review :D **

**Love**

**Chocoholic907**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you so much for all the reviews! Love you all to pieces! :D**

**But they ae coming really really slow **

**This chapter is the most important in the whole story – the chapter that I have been planning for months. I hope it meets your expectations :D**

**I hope you liked the previous chapter, and returned in spite of the fact that Draco betrayed them all. The title is "Deception, drama and Draco Malfoy", so read out and find out why its so….**

Hermione heart was beating so loud she was sure everyone could hear it. This was the same room. The same room that had featured in her worst nightmares for over four years. It seemed like a vicious cycle. Once again, she was trapped, tied up and helpless – her fate in the hands of the same unstable woman. In the middle of the room stood a large cauldron emitting purple smoke, smoke that smelled vile and noxious. Next to that lay Harry, Ginny and James, tied up and gagged. Harry's face was coated in blood and he was sporting fresh bruises all over, but his eyes shone with determination and hatred. Thankfully, as far as she could see, Ginny and James were unhurt.

Hermione felt herself pushed forward roughly. She stumbled, and fell on her knees. Some one hit the back of her head hard, and for a moment she saw stars. When she shakily got up, she saw Pansy looking at her gleefully, pointing her wand at her.

"Move." She ordered, her pug-like face twisted into a sneer.

Hermione's eyes found Bellatrix, staring at the cauldron with fevered eyes. She seemed to be in a state of great excitement, and her expression looked unhinged. Whatever she was planning would not bode well for the prisoners.

"What do you want, you foul loathsome woman?" Hermione spat out, her eyes staring daggers at Bellatrix.

Bellatrix seemed amused by Hermione. "From you mudblood? Nothing. Your capture is of no consequence to me, but it could provide great entertainment later. As will the bloodtraitor and her spawn. The only one I want in this room is Potter, the Boy Who Just Wouldn't Die. His existence has been a great thorn in our flesh. However, now, in his last moments, he will render us a favor that is of more consequence than anything he has done in the whole of his pitiful life. You see, I need his blood. And of course, his life. The Dark Lord would be most pleased."

To say this shocked Hermione would be an understatement. "The-the Dark Lord?" she stammered. Then her voice took a derisive tone. "Hate to break it to you, but he's dead. Died just after you did."

Bellatrix waited for her to stop speaking. When Hermione paused to catch a breath, she pointed her wand at her and said "Crucio!"

Hermione felt the curse hit her, and immediately crumpled to the ground. The pain of a thousand stabbing knives wracked her system, and her skin felt as if it was on fire. The all consuming pain was the only thing she could comprehend, and it threatened to rob her of her sanity. Determined however, not to scream for mercy, she bit down on her lip, so hard that she drew blood. Its metallic taste filled her mouth as she convulsed upon the ground. The pain seemed endless, and she lost track of time and everything else. The only thing in the world was the curse, and her every cell feeling like it would be razed to ash. She did not know how much longer she would be able to survive this, when as if from far away, she heard Draco's voice.

"Bellatrix, stop. It's almost time."

The pain vanished, and Hermione felt someone lift her up, and opened her eyes. She looked into Draco's grey eyes, and his eyes seemed insistent, as if he was trying to tell her something. She recoiled when she realized he was holding her, and she glared at him, her eyes filled with venom.

"Tell me, Drakie poo, how it feels to be a lying betraying snake." She said, in fakely honeyed tones. "It must have been hard for you, pretending you weren't an evil cockroach anymore. Well, congratulations, because you fooled me." Her voice turned hard as flint. "If I die here, I will come back as a ghost and haunt you throughout your miserable existence. If I live, you had better run because I will find you, and I will kill you."

Draco's face hardened. He pushed her roughly towards the cauldron, and then waved his wand. Ropes bound her and she found herself in the same position as Harry, Ginny and James. A feeling of helplessness washed through her as she realized that they may never escape alive. Adrenaline pounded through her veins and she looked around, trying to find a chance to escape.

She belatedly realized Bellatrix was not in sight. She whipped her head around, trying to spot Pansy. If only she could get free, she could take Draco down and help the others escape. However, before she could do anything, Bellatrix entered the room, a large trunk floating behind her. With a malicious grin on her face, she addressed Hermione.

"Mudblood, lets play a little game. Guess what's inside the trunk, and I won't torture you."

"Oh sod off." Hermione did not feel up to playing Bellatrix's twisted games. "If you are going to kill me, just bloody do it."

Bellatrix opened her mouth, as if to curse her – but suddenly halted. Her sneering expression turned into one of malice.

"Oh, I am going to have so much fun with you when the Dark Lord is reborn. And who knows, I might even make my second Horcrux from your death." Bellatrix was smiling by the end of the sentence – a smile that reflected the very essence of evil.

Hermione and Harry exchanged identical looks of shock. The bombshell that Bellatrix had dropped on them felt like a blow to the chest – only thousand times more shocking. Even in her wildest dreams Hermione had not imagined that she would ever hear these words from the mouth of a woman who was supposed to be dead. There was also no disputing the veracity of Bellatrix's claim. That lady may be demented and cruel, but she was smart and ruthless. The rebirth of Voldemort would mean catastrophe for a world that was just beginning to heal from the war. There was no way they could allow this to happen.

"No words from you? Dementor got your tongue?" Bellatrix's voice sliced through the haze of confusion.

"That's impossible." Hermione flatly stated, even though her gut told her Bellatrix had found a way. Her rational thinking mind told her that a person, after dying, could not be brought back to life.

Bellatrix let out a derisive laugh. "That's impossible!" she echoed, her voice a high pitched imitation of Hermione. A slavishly devoted expression adorned her face, one that left Hermione feeling sick at the pit of her stomach.

"I have been waiting for this moment for four years. The moment where I, and no one else, brings my master back to life. He will punish those; punish those who did not serve him as I did. And then, with me at his side, he will conquer this world, restoring purebloods where they belong, and Muggles will exist only for our entertainment. The rewards I will reap will be huge."

"Now the moment is here. The moment that is the culmination of three years of hard work and patience – three years of trying to find a way to restore the world as it should be. A newly cleansed world – a world that has been cleansed of half bloods and mudbloods, of bloodtraitors and filth. Hogwarts will no longer have four houses, but will be united under the colors of the great Salazar Slytherin. Too bad you won't survive to see what will happen. And just so you know, I will kill the Weasleys first. That red headed pestilence has sullied the name of purebloods for far too long."

Bellatrix looked outside the window. The full moon bathed the world in its ethereal rays – lighting up the night sky like a beacon. Hermione realized that she had been imprisoned for almost a day.

"Tonight is a special night. You, my loves, will be witness to the Lethum sacrifice. It has to be conducted on the 7th of July, at 7:07 pm, when the moon is full. It is at that moment when magic is at its most powerful, and the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest."

The minute Hermione heard the name of the ritual, she recognized it. Mentally hitting herself for not recognizing the vile purple smoke that the cauldron spewed, she remembered the finer details of the ritual – one that she found out about on one of her excursions to the restricted sections of the Ministry's libraries.

A man, when he kills a person, creates a strong bond with the immortal soul of his victim. This bond is similar to that of an elastic band. If you pull when the veil separating the living and the dead is at its thinnest, it is possible to yank the soul back into the land of the living. However, this involves extraordinary amounts of dark magic, and fear of losing control is great. Also, the soul that has been pulled out will be irreparably damaged – corrupting its innocence with evil. Since the soul in question was Voldemort's, Hermione could not believe further damage was possible. However, the soul would be wraithlike, and can not survive long without a body to house it. Comprehension dawned upon Hermione. She now knew what was in the trunk. Or rather who.

Bellatrix had been watching the mudbloods face closely. The sudden change in expression tipped her off that the penny had dropped.

She cackled derisively.

"Yes, that's true mudblood." She waved her wand at the trunk, and the lid opened, revealing the person inside. A person powerful enough to mask the presence of Voldemort, but influential enough to not be suspected.

Harry blanched as he saw the Minister of Magic – William Fudge – inside the trunk, looking as if in a deep sleep. Every able man in the wizarding world was looking for the man in front of him, but Bellatrix had managed to capture him and conceal him without anyone finding out. If Bellatrix managed to bring back Voldemort's soul, then the body he would be housed in would be that of the most influential man in the world. The worst part is, no one would even suspect initially. Voldemort could gather support quietly, and strike when the world would be least prepared.

All of a sudden, he spotted a glaring flaw in Bellatrix's plan. "You will never get away with this, you witch. Every wizard alive knows that the Minister is missing right now. If he suddenly strolls into office tomorrow, I think people might be suspicious. Give it up, and you'll escape the Kiss."

"You think I haven't thought of that? Three years I spent planning my lord's rebirth. Three years full of careful planning. There is nothing I haven't thought of. I will send a ransom note to the Ministry, and during the attack the Ministry will launch to retrieve the Minister, he will manage to 'escape' my clutches. But you don't worry your head about all that, you'll be dead by then."

Hermione realized that this was a brilliant plan. No one would suspect that the person they actually rescued was not the minister but the most dangerous person in the world. Her quick mind began to think of plans – each more improbable than the last, when a sound interrupted her thought process.

It was the Malfoys clock, chiming out the hour.

_One, two, three…._

Hermione counted the sounds in her mind.

_Four, five, six…._

She struggled to come up with a plan to save them all…

_Seven!_

She had seven minutes left to save the world.

7:00pm

Bellatrix smiled. In a matter of minutes, her master would be reborn. And she would be able to show him what true loyalty was. Once her master was back, together they would be unstoppable. They would unleash a rain of terror on the unsuspecting planet like never seen before. The world would tremble at the mere mention of her master's name, like they did once before. And this time, there would be no one who could stop him. The Potter boy's death would be the trigger that would yank her lord's soul back. She would have to kill him exactly at 7:07pm.

7:01pm

First, there was something she had to do. She needed to boys blood in the cauldron, it was the final ingredient of the potion. She walked towards the boy. She could see hatred in his eyes, and felt amused. He still believed he could stop her, even though he was tied up and on the floor, while she had managed to capture the three most powerful people in the wizarding world.

7:02pm

She conjured a vial, and brought her dagger out. Holding the vial next to Potters shoulder, she slashed deeply, enjoying the agony that he was suffering. Blood welled from the gash instantly, and she collected it in the vial. She poured it into the cauldron, and noted with pleasure as it hissed when it received its share of blood. The contents turned bright red, and started emitting sparks.

7:03pm

Hermione looked around in panic. She had only four minutes left. When Bellatrix had added Harry's blood to the potion, she had felt the atmosphere change. The air seemed heavy with Dark magic, and she could feel it pressing against her skin, leaving a burning sensation. Her mind began to give way to fear, and all her negative emotions seemed pronounced. She shook her head, trying to clear it. This was how she felt when she had worn Voldemort's locket. If they all had to survive, she could not give way to panic. She concentrated on trying to make a plan, ignoring the voice in her head that screamed that it was too late.

7:04pm

Bellatrix began to feel jittery. The moment was so close. She could let nothing stop her from completing the ritual. If she missed her opportunity now, she would never be able to bring back her master. This time frame would not come for the next 10,000 years. She took a deep breath, and said the incantation slowly in her head. _Lethum immutamus_. Her heart was beating faster now in anticipation, she began to monitor the prisoners more closely. She could not let them stop her.

7:05pm

Hermione had managed to think of a plan. It was not well thought out, and would most certainly kill her, and probably Harry, Ginny and James too. But she had no choice. If their death was the price she had to pay to save the wizarding world, so be it. She could feel Bellatrix's eyes on her, and knew that the instant she tried anything, Bellatrix would stop her. She had to move fast. It was either now or never. She took a deep breath to steady herself. Thank god she was just next to the cauldron…

7:06pm

Ginny could feel adrenaline pounding through her system, but could not do anything while she was tied. She wished she had fought better, and had prevented them from kidnapping James. Now, facing her death, her only regret was that she could not save her son. She turned her head painfully towards Harry, and in a single glance poured out all her love. This was her last chance to show him what lay in her heart. Next to her, she felt Hermione suddenly roll towards the cauldron, and she knew Hermione was attempting to push it down and spill the potion. Her hopes were raised as she watched Hermione, but it instantly crashed down when she heard a horribly familiar voice scream out an incantation that sent Hermione soaring to the other side of the room. It was too late.

7:07pm

Hermione crashed against the wall hard, but the pain barely registered. She knew she had failed, and now the whole world would pay the price. Any second now, Bellatrix would utter the spell that would kill Harry, and bring back Voldemort. She watched Bellatrix as she raised her wand and pointed it at Harry. The world suddenly seemed to slow down. Every agonizing second seemed to stretch to an eternity. Hermione's breath froze in her lungs as Bellatrix, in a terrifying loud voice, began to chant the incantation.

"LETHUM IMMUT-"

Suddenly, her voice was cut off. Hermione heard someone else scream a curse and a green jet of light shot across the room, and hit Bellatrix in the chest. The mad woman froze, and her wand fell out of her stiff hand. As if in slow motion, Bellatrix crumpled to the floor, never to rise again.

Harry, Hermione and Ginny turned their heads in unison and looked at the man who had cast the curse. His chest was heaving, and his grey eyes were blazing.

Draco Malfoy had saved the world.

**Oooohhh! I loved typing the last line!**

**Draco is my favorite character of all time, and it pained me deeply to portray him as the bad guy, even if it was only for one and a half chapters.**

**So how did you like it?**

**This has been the longest chapter yet… more than 3,000 words… whew!**

**You know the drill by now…**

**Please let me know what you think :D**

**Ill give you a cyber muffin :D**

**Reviews are gold to me **** ive taken the time to type almost 17,000 words so far, please take a few minutes to tell me what u think ;)**

**Btw, the spell **_**lethum immutamus**_** means 'death changer' in latin. Or at least it does according to the online translator I found :D**

**Oh, also, when I was going through my previous chapters, I found a LOT of errors… so as soon as the story is done, ill go and correct them asap**

**Bear with me till then :D**

**Love **

**Chocoholic907**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey :D**

**I am so so so so sorry about the delay….**

***runs and hides***

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**Please please please review**

**I really want to know if some one is actually reading this, as opposed to me ranting to myself on the internet….**

When Draco had first entered the Manor gate, he felt the wards press against his skin – flickering and popping against his flesh. It was at that moment that his suspicions were confirmed. The wards had two purposes – they would ensure that only Death Eaters could enter, and the inhabitants of the Manor would be instantly informed about the identities of whoever enters. Now, Draco found himself caught in a dilemma. He knew that if they caught him on the side of the Aurors, then he would be killed instantly, branded a traitor, and Peter and Harry would have no way to escape. He would have to pretend to betray Harry so he could help him later. However, the temptation to join the side of the Dark Lord was strong. The power that he would be given was seductive, and its siren call was hard to ignore. After all, he had been branded a Death Eater by the Lord and society, and if he joined the Dark Lords side, wouldn't he be fulfilling his destiny?

However, it was at that moment that Peter changed into Hermione. This was like a blow to Draco. He had expected her to be sleeping in the safety of her home, not deceiving them and coming. In a small corner of his mind, he admired her resourcefulness. He did not know how she had gotten here, but realized it did not matter any more – the only thing that was important was that she was here, and that he had to protect her. Her appearance had angered him greatly, but had also strengthened his resolve. He deeply cared for this girl – and her safety was paramount to him. He instantly knew that his love for her would ensure that he would never again tread on the path of the Dark side. He would do whatever it takes to get her out safely, and would not give in to the temptation of betraying them for real.

He took a deep breath to prepare himself for the mental strain his deception would cause to him, and built a strong cage around his heart to shut off his feelings. This was the moment to act. Indecision would play no part in his mind anymore.

He remembered an old maxim his father had drilled into his mind when he was small.

_Appearances are everything._

Even though this was something his father had taught him so he could play the role of a Malfoy, it was an adage that he would have to follow perfectly to fool everyone. If he pretended to betray them well enough, everyone would believe he had really done that. His deception could not be discovered at any cost. As Harry and Hermione were arguing, he quietly strode to the gate, and shut it with a loud clang. As they spun around to see him, he rearranged his features into the coldest sneer he could manage, and pointed his wand at them. In the distance, he could see two cloaked figures approach. Their timing was perfect for his plan.

However, the shocked and heartbroken expression on Hermione's face nearly destroyed him. He wished he could run to her and enclose her in his arms and never let go. He wanted to reassure her, but that would ruin his plan. He needed the both of them fully alert and fighting – there was always a chance he would fail, and if that happened, they would have to fend for themselves. He let out a cold laugh to mask his feelings.

In the meantime, the cloaked figures had arrived. When one of the figures lowered its hood, he bit back a cry of alarm. The shock of seeing his dead aunt standing there, orchestrating the plan sent fear shooting through him. The whole operation had just gotten more dangerous, and he was glad that he had pretended to switch sides - this way he had a better chance of rescuing the others.

With this in mind, he whispered a stunning spell in Hermione's direction, suppressing his wince when she hit the ground hard. He could show no sympathy.

_Appearances were everything._

He lifted his head to greet his aunt.

A long time later, Draco crept down to the dungeons to check on the others. He thanked his stars that his aunt had taught him Occlumency, as the minute she saw him, she tried to read his mind. Bellatrix's plan to bring back Lord Voldemort had shaken him. He knew this was something he had to stop at any cost. Even in his wildest dreams he did not think that she could have been planning this. At most, he had thought what she wanted was revenge. His mission had gotten that much more risky – it was no loner about the safety of Hermione, Harry and his family, but the fate of the wizarding world and the Muggle world. Failure was not an option.

This brought him to another problem. Pansy. Now that he was "back" on the dark side, she followed him everywhere. She even surprised him in the bathroom today, just as he was about to lower his trousers. At one time, his ego would have been stoked by her attention, but all he felt now was irritation and loathing. He had given her the slip because that girl was getting on his last nerves. If she tried to kiss him again, he would not be responsible for the consequences. As he approached the cell where they were kept, his pulse began to quicken. He did not know what to expect, and hoped she was okay.

In the almost non existent light he could make out that they were tied to a pole. Hermione seemed conscious, though the way she moved her head showed that she was disoriented. As he turned to leave, Hermione suddenly called out, startling him. Her voice sounded brave and clear, and masked the fear he was sure she was feeling. He froze as she whipped her head around, trying to spot the intruder.

When she stopped looking, he hurried out to join Bellatrix, hoping his absence hadn't been detected.

When Bellatrix had asked him to torture Hermione, he couldn't do it. It as bad enough he had to pretend to betray them – he would never willingly cause her to suffer. When Bellatrix turned on him instead, he almost welcomed the pain. He would rather endure a thousand curses before having to torture Hermione.

While escorting her to the room, he tried to be as gentle as possible without blowing his cover. However, the venomous glances Hermione kept shooting him felt like painful blows. He wished he could make her understand that he was not a traitor, but there was no way. Pansy was hanging off his arm; he would not be able to tell her without Pansy hearing.

When Pansy backhanded Hermione's head, it took all his willpower not to kill the petty vicious girl on the spot. He felt intense anger filling his system, and tried to control his expression

_Appearances were everything._

He could exact his slow and painful revenge on her later. For now, the most important thing was to make sure Bellatrix's plan failed. He pretended to grin at Pansy's antics, but let his rage simmer inside.

However, when Bellatrix started to torture Hermione, he was nearly undone again. It took everything he had to not fire the killing curse at her instantly. But he knew that if he did, Pansy would capture him and continue the sacrifice. And everything he had done so far would have been for nothing. So, reigning himself, he waited for the perfect moment to strike.

Time slowed down around him. Everything seemed to happen in exaggerated motion. He could see Bellatrix raise her wand, and her mouth begin to form the words that would end Harry's life – words that would change the face of the world as they knew it. This was it.

He felt himself point his wand at her, and it was a relief to utter the incantation that would rid the world of Bellatrix. Blood thundered in his veins, and heart seemed to be beating so fast it seemed like it would jump out of his chest. As he watched her stiffen, and fall to the ground, his every cell felt alive. His actions were a blur to himself as he spun on his heel and shot a stunner at Pansy. Instantly, the large girl fell, and he turned to free Harry and the others. He could feel Hermione's gaze on him, but ignored it – busying himself with summoning their wands. He did not want to see the reproach that would surely be etched on her face. What if she thought that he had switched sides for real, and then chickened out later? He would not be able to handle her censure and rejection. He watched as Harry sent a patronus to the ministry. Instantly, hundreds of Aurors surrounded the place. Draco made no resistance as one of them captured him and tied him up. He knew he would have time to explain later. He felt himself being manhandled and taken to the Ministry.

It had been three days. Three days since Draco had saved the world. In the Manor, the minute she gave her statement, she had gone straight to her apartment, and went to bed. For three days she shut herself inside, ignoring owls and visitors. People kept banging on her door daily, and only stopped when she sent terse letters to Harry and the Ministry saying she wanted to be left alone. She felt hurt, confused and wrong footed – three emotions that were not familiar to the brightest witch of the age. In the beginning, she had been very upset at Malfoy, and was hurt that he hadn't trusted her with his plan. Then slowly, her feelings of hurt morphed into something else – gratitude. Draco had pretended to switch sides so he could save them all. His actions were very risky, and with great danger to himself, he managed to save the world. He was a hero, and she felt ashamed of ever doubting him. She was about to rush off and apologize to him when a sudden thought struck her. What if he did not want to talk to her?

If he didn't, he would be justified. In the past few days, she had not contacted him or anyone. She had shut herself in because her pride was wounded, and her childish behavior could have hurt their friendship irreparably.

_A few hours later…_

She still hadn't spoken to him. She wasn't sure if he would even want to speak to her. After all, she had not trusted him. She had truly believed that he had betrayed them, and she knew that this lack of trust would have destroyed their friendship. Further, she had ignored him because her pride was wounded. Her actions seemed stupider and stupider to herself. When she contemplated upon the chance that she would never meet him again, never laugh with him or talk to him, she felt unexpected pain shooting through her heart.

In the short month that she had known him, he had quickly become one of her dearest friends. He had been for her during a time when she was lonely and depressed. And yet, here she was hiding herself in her apartment for a week because she was scared to confront him and have him reject her. She straightened her shoulders, and summoned her courage. She would venture out and find him, and if he never wanted to talk to her again, he would have to tell her himself.

As she entered the Ministry, she was surrounded by colleagues and strangers both, all congratulating her on her success in stopping Bellatrix and saving Harry, Ginny and James. They seemed awed by her actions and thronged around her, threatening to suffocate her. Their actions conveyed a deep sense of gratitude and Hermione felt ashamed of her petty actions.

"It was nothing. I didn't do much." She called out, hoping to disperse the crowd.

"Hermione, don't be so modest, we know it was because of you that You Know Who was stopped. In fact, the Minister is awarding you an Order of the Merlin, first class for your courage and bravery."

Hermione was shocked. "Me?" she asked.

"I didn't do anything. We survived because of Draco, Draco Malfoy. He saved us!"

The crowd froze, shocked. Confusion was clear on every face. Hermione looked around, trying to understand their reactions. Surely it was public knowledge that Draco was a hero. It was evident from the expressions of the people surrounding her that this was not so. One man called out to her "Are you sure Draco Malfoy saved you? His trial will be conducted tomorrow. He is to be tried for his crimes against Harry Potter and his attempts to bring You Know Who back."

"WHAT?" Hermione spat out, her voice colored with anger. "Where is Harry Potter?"

The lady next to her answered "He's in Mungos right now."

Hermione instantly disapperated to find him.

The minute she entered the reception at St. Mungos, the kindly lady behind the desk recognized her and directed her towards Harry's room.

As she entered, she was greeted by a cheerful yellow room with bouquets on every surface. The smell of a thousand flowers assailed her nose. She saw Harry, Ginny and James on three beds near the window. When Ginny saw her, a wide smile broke out on her face.

"Hermione!" she cried out, "You're all right!" Relief was evident in her friend's voice.

Hermione walked up to her and gave her a hug. "Of course I'm fine. There's no need to worry about me. How is my favorite godson?" she looked at James' sleeping form. The child looked much better, the color evident in his cheeks.

"He's fine now," Harry replied. "Thank god there's nothing seriously wrong with them, except malnutrition." He was sitting upright on his bed, with his shoulder heavily bandaged. Hermione raised her eyebrows. His cut should have been healed by now.

Harry replied defensively "Bellatrix's dagger had been treated with poison. The Healers didn't know what it was, but they've deduced that it's illegal and dangerous. It's spread through my system and has been hampering the healing process. Do you think that if I had been allowed to leave this room, I wouldn't have come straight to your apartment?"

Hermione blushed with shame. She then remembered the reason she had hurried down here so fast. The smile on her face disappeared.

"Harry! What's going on? They told me that the Ministry thinks Draco is responsible for the whole kidnapping!"

Harry's face instantly darkened and his cheery mood vanished. The Ministry was a mess. The public had lost faith in the Ministry, and no one knew what had actually happened in the Manor. There had been wild accusations and rumors flying in the past few days. The abduction of the Minister had created panic and pandemonium. The Minister now had a battalion of bodyguards surrounding him, and had demoted several key officials. With all this confusion, they were looking for a fall guy, and they had found him. Draco Malfoy. The Ministry knew that the public would never accept him as a hero. His last name was too infamous a one for anyone to believe that he was a good guy. Therefore, instead of doing what's right, they were choosing the easy way out, and protecting themselves.

They were accusing him of being a traitor, and had scheduled a farce of a trial for the day after. He had repeatedly tried to contact the minister, but could not reach him. The Ministry was being bull headed and stubborn – like they had been in his 5th year. William Fudge was behaving no better than his father had. And everyone knew what had happened to his father.

He replied, his voice embittered "Malfoy is the Ministry's fall guy. They are accusing him so that the public's faith in them is restored. If it seems like the ministry has found a culprit, no one will demand the removal of Fudge. In order not to spread panic, the Ministry has kept the role of Bellatrix quiet. As far as everyone is concerned, she is still dead. I've been writing letters to the minister everyday, but the only thing I received was a letter from his secretary saying that he has taken a vacation in light of the ordeal he has suffered recently. In order to placate me, they sent me an Order of the Merlin as a bribe."

Hermione was disgusted. This was almost as bad as when the Ministry tried to hush up Voldemort rebirth. And now because of them, an innocent man is going to Azkaban.

"We have to do something," Hermione said. "Draco saved our lives in the Manor."

Harry nodded. "I agree, but what do we do? I don't know where the trial will be held, and even if I did, the Wizengamot will not listen to us. They are in the palm of Fudge's hands."

Hermione's mind whirred. She had to come up with a perfect plan to save Draco's life and make sure the Ministry could do nothing about it. It looked like it was time to track down old acquaintances.

**I'm so sorry that after making you wait for so long I'm only giving you a filler chapter :( **

**The next chapter is being written as you read this…**

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